


Everyone Knew That Your Gaze Was My Home

by esmereldagrace



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, Light Angst, M/M, Mentions of War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-26 16:25:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3857248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esmereldagrace/pseuds/esmereldagrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Promise me you’ll come back home in one piece,” Luke had whispered through his tears, his forehead pressed to Reid’s. Both hands were holding his face as close as he could, not wanting to let go just yet.  “Promise that you’ll come back to me.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everyone Knew That Your Gaze Was My Home

**Author's Note:**

> Just spruced up a little something I'd written a while back and thought it should make it's way here.
> 
> Thanks to the wonderful [Cherimola](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherimola/pseuds/Cherimola/) for giving this a quick read through! You're the bestest! ♥ 
> 
> Hope you enjoy and thank you for reading if you do! Kudos and/or comments are loved if deserved! ♥

 

Thirteen months. 

It had been over a year since he’d seen Reid with his own two eyes; stood right in front him, toe to toe and kissing his forehead in goodbye as Reid tried to stay strong for the both of them.  He hadn’t let his voice break though, not once. 

But Reid's eyes couldn’t hide his emotions--Luke knew him inside out after all. 

“Promise me you’ll come back home in one piece,” Luke had whispered through his tears, his forehead pressed to Reid’s. Both hands were holding his face as close as he could, not wanting to let go just yet.  “Promise that you’ll come back to _me_.”

Reid had nodded fervently, pressing a hard kiss to his mouth before reluctantly pulling away. Luke knowing that if Reid didn’t leave now, he would never be able to let Luke go. 

“I’ll be home soon, you’ll see.  My home is you, Luke.”

He’d smiled that crooked smile of his and slapped his cheek lightly, playfully--to break the tension, to lessen the pain and the ache in both their hearts. 

But it didn’t work, not entirely. The ache in Luke’s heart grew as the months went by, a longing ache that had left a Reid-shaped hole in his life. 

Days turned into weeks, then into months and Luke did as much as he could to keep a steady routine.  All of his time was spent at his foundation, working the whole day diligently, working twelve straight hours without complaint. 

Who did he have to go home early for anyway?

Project after project, proposal after proposal, he spent time researching into each and everyone one of them. Luke wanted to make sure that he provided all that he could to help make people’s lives better, to give them what they needed most.  He did what he could do from home and Reid, his Reid--he took care of people on the frontline.  He protected them from further harm. 

Reid was the man who did the hard and dangerous job, a job that could get him killed, maimed or injured. But he did it without hesitation because he was there to save lives. So Luke had to stay strong for him, keep smiling and living happily for him because Reid was out there to make a difference, to do good.

And Luke couldn't be more proud of him. 

They talked every couple of weeks when they could, if Reid had a decent internet connection and some time, no matter the hour.  They would see each other through the hazy image of a webcam and talked about their days. No matter how mundane or boring Luke's day had been, Reid listened intently, not wanting to ever stop listening to Luke’s voice. 

There was a lot Luke knew that Reid wasn't telling him. About the death and destruction, the fear and anxiety that he experienced day in and day out no matter how strong he was. But the horror, pain and sadness was etched into his skin, haunting his eyes, and Luke hoped and prayed to whatever power above that Reid was doing okay and had the support he needed.

It was the only the memories of their conversations that kept Reid sane on those nights he couldn't sleep, he had admitted once.

Any contact was better than no contact; so Luke cherished the time he had to talk to Reid, telling him about the shenanigans their god-daughter got up to whenever she was at their house on the weekends. 

Casey was an amazing father, but such a pushover for his daughter sometimes that Luke had to call him out on spoiling her so much.  Reid was powerless not to laugh, his voice tinny through the speakers as Luke told him about a sweet sight from a day earlier where he'd found Casey in a pretty tutu, some messily applied make-up and a crown with matching earrings to boot for his daughter's very special tea party (along with her dolls).

But Luke heard Reid's laugh loud and clear, his heart soaring with the sound. 

“You’re going to be just like Casey, aren't you? Doing every single thing in your power to make our kid happy,” Reid said with a laugh. 

“What do you mean?” Luke had asked after his heart had picked up its rhythm again, Reid's words starting to make sense.  Did he mean--?

“Do you mean what I think you mean?” 

Reid had scrubbed a nervous hand over his face and hair and Luke swore that he was blushing to the tips of his ears.  “Yeah, you know exactly what I'm saying.  When I'm back home, I want to raise a family of our own. Are you up for that?”

Luke had bit his quivering lip, happiness overwhelming him, an errant tear sliding down his cheek which he was quick to wipe away.  He wished so hard in that moment that he could hold Reid in his arms, kiss his curls, bury his head in his neck and just breathe him in.  “I'm up for anything, Reid--just come home and we can do anything you want, I’ll do anything for you.”

“Anything?” he’d asked, quirking an eyebrow suggestively, throwing in a wink for emphasis. 

Luke had chuckled, a grin splitting his face in half, “Yes, my love,” he’d teased.  “Anything you want.”

Luke hadn't heard from him since that conversation, but the thought of adding to their family kept him going.  He guessed that no news was good news, but it was inevitable that every time that the doorbell rang, or if he got a phone call, his mind would immediately think the worst. 

But he had to stay positive, who else did Reid have except for him? 

Luke was lucky to have distractions in the form of Casey and his siblings. But there was only so much they could do to stave off the loneliness in his life, they had their own lives to go back to after all. 

However, to keep himself busy, he’d spent the weekends renovating their house. A house they’d bought together with the intention of making it into a heaven of their own design, a place to call home. 

Luke worked many weekends painstakingly decorating, ordering and arranging the furniture into it's perfect place. Putting up artwork and pictures of loved ones, framing pictures from their wedding and holidays were his favourite things to do. Along with other comfy furnishings that looked just right with the colours and the atmosphere of the rooms, much of the house had finally now become _their home_. 

Using books and watching videos on the internet, Luke had learnt carpentry in his spare time.  He’d learnt to work with wood with the hands he so terribly wanted to hold Reid with and set about making a bed for their bedroom.  It was ridiculous idea, one Reid would chide him and call him a sap for, and he would say it was too much work to have taken on. But even though Luke felt totally out of his depth, he wanted to do this for himself--and for Reid.   

It was then, when Luke had painstakingly cut, sanded and varnished all the pieces and had laid them out on their bedroom floor, a room he vowed not to sleep in till Reid came back because they both deserved something new and untouched to come home to, the phone rang.  Thinking it to be a call from his Mom, he didn’t even think to check the caller ID. 

Hearing the voice on the other end, his knees involuntarily buckled and he crumpled to the floor.

_He’s been injured, a broken leg and some superficial burns...he’s been injured...he’s alive but he’s injured...he’s alive..._

Luke didn't know whether he wanted to hear anything else, he just needed to know one more thing. “When is he coming home?”

“In one week, Mr. Snyder.  In one week.”

The days leading up to Reid’s return were spent in a daze.  Luke had used up most of his time trying to finish as much of their house that he could.  He’d even spent one whole sleepless night making sure that the bed he’d made with his own hands was perfectly built and dressed. 

Everything had to be just right for when Reid got home. 

Luke had had a chance to talk to Reid before he left and hearing his voice on the phone had been such a relief.  But even though he'd said that he was fine and doing well, Luke wouldn’t be satisfied until he saw him with his own two eyes and Reid knew the same.  Luke also knew that the Reid that was coming back may not be exactly the same, and it was something that he had prepared himself for.

But Luke had made his vows and married him knowing that he was going to stick with him through the good times and the bad times.

He loved him after all.

Luke woke up bright and early for the morning he’d been waiting for, for months.  The butterflies in his stomach didn’t abate as the minutes ticked by and he couldn’t eat a thing. He was way too nervous.  His Mom and Dad had offered to accompany him to the airport but he’d already made plans for Casey to be there.  

As much as he loved his family, he needed this moment to just be about him and Reid and it had been Casey that had been his constant support for the past year.  Being there for him at odd times of the night when he just needed someone to talk to, to eat with or to just watch films with.  He had never denied anything that Luke had needed, and he'd been more like a brother to him than his best friend over the past year.

“Dude, chill out.  You'll see him soon--his flight's landed now so he’ll be out in no time, I know it.”

Casey wrapped an arm around Luke’s shoulder, rubbing a hand up and down his arm, wanting to calm him.  They were stood waiting for Reid at the airport along with hundreds of others waiting for their loved ones.   

“I know, I know.”

Luke was shaking from the inside out and he guessed that the three cups of coffee he’d had in the morning hadn’t helped.  “I just can’t wait anymore.  You sure he was on this domestic flight? I know Reid said that he didn’t want any special treatment after saving those people but they might have forced him to take the offer, you know? But Reid’s stubborn, so he’s gonna do what he wants, right?”

“Luke,” Casey laughed, pulling him into a hug, pressing a kiss to his temple.  “Stop babbling, we have the right flight and Reid is a stubborn ass.  He’s gonna do exactly what he wants.”

“He’s an ass, a total ass,” Luke mumbled into Casey’s shoulder making him chuckle.  He took comfort in the warm arms embracing him, but it was no substitute for Reid.  God, he couldn’t wait to see him, hold him, kiss him--he was going out of his mind with the waiting. 

Luke didn’t have to wait too long though, because a few moments later he felt the air shift around him. 

He was here, _he was here_. 

His eyes flitted over the crowds of people streaming out into arrivals, his heart jack hammering against his ribcage.  Even after a year, Luke could sense those blue eyes searching for him and he found them, _he found him_. 

Luke couldn’t hear anything else or see anything but _him_ and he ran.  He ran and he ran and he ran.

Pushing through the crowds, not caring for the obscenities that he heard, he ran--because _fuck them_ \--his Reid was home and that was more important than anything else in the world. 

Luke ran and Reid walked towards him, or hobbled more like with his crutches under his arms.  His duffle bag was slung over one shoulder, his face was tanned, his curls messy but short and he had a beard on his face with hints of gray, making him look much older than he really was. 

But it was his Reid, _his Reid_. 

Reid dropped his bag and his crutches to the floor and with a watery smile plastered on his face he opened his arms wide for Luke to fall into. 

And he did. 

Luke fell into his arms, burying his head into his neck, breathing him in, not caring for the sobs that wracked his body, not caring for the stares they were getting.  Reid held him up, ran a hand through his hair and despite the pain in his leg he held him tight, whispering words of comfort, promises and love. 

Luke pulled back then, holding Reid’s face in between his hands, wiping away his tears with the pads of his thumbs, pressing a lingering, loving kiss to his forehead. 

“You’re home, you’re home, you’re home,” Luke said softly and reverently like a mantra, only for Reid’s ears.

Reid sighed happily, huffing a laugh and drew back from Luke’s hold, locking his eyes with his before kissing him deeply. 

“Yeah, I’m home, Luke...I’m home.”

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from a song called ['Indigo Home'](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0WDqWlswQ8) by the effortlessly wonderful Roo Panes, and is one of my favourite lyrics of all time. Catches my breath every time I hear it. :')
> 
> If you any of you are tumblr inclined I'd love to see you there! You can find me [here](http://babblingbhumzi.tumblr.com/)!!


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